No Computer

For the first 10 days we had no time to use a computer but finally I found one in the lobby of the last place we visited. The next day was your birthday and I'm happy that you had a great party at the zoo. Diana and I loved talking to you early in our morning and then she left for home and I went on to Madrid with Linda. We stayed in a piso on a street where Cervantes once lived so you know kind of what it looked like outside. Inside it was a remodeled apartment with granite countertops and a classy furnishings which belonged to our tour guide who is also Linda's cousin. We stayed there for 4 days while we visited the Grand Palace, The Prado and several other museums. The Prado was overwhelming and after two hours I was ready to leave. There is only so much art work you can look at even if they are all done by such famous artists.

We walked everywhere all day and one day walked to Carlos' parents near the outskirts of downtown where we had a nice lunch in their home. The best food we had every day or so was churros and chocolate. The chocolate is in a cup and it's so thick it looks like frosting almost. It is great for dunking the churros. We tried to stay out of Starbucks though there were several around but we did go into all the fancy stores we could find. It is quite a lively city. We even rented a row boat and rowed in their city park.

We left Madrid for Barcelona and spent 3 days there. There are so many famous artists there and I have to say Antonio Gaudi makes Frank Lloyd Wright look like an amateur. We visited all his sites and they are outstanding even though he's been dead a while and some are still under construction. We also were quite fond of Salvador Dali and visited the Picasso Museum, having a final dinner at a restaurant he frequented many years ago. We covered the city by foot and the metro a few times. We tried to stay out of churches and Linda did a bit of shopping. The weather was great and we checked out the beaches though neither of us wanted a photo like your last Mediterranean pose.

I'd like to say it's good to be home but I'm not feeling that way. I'd like to keep up the traveling lifestyle for another month or more. These responsibilites for a house are bothersome but surely I'll be settling in again soon. It's time to start thinking Grandsons.